Working is like going to the gym, each time we go we must stay focused on the exercise we are doing consistently. If this is not done, we will not reach our end goal – Success.
Going to the gym does not only improve health for individuals but also helps the mind to focus in a work environment.
A mind is like a muscle, the more we train our brain the better it will become over time. We are able to handle more tasks, better and faster. This is the same as training our muscles when working out.
What can we do to help achieve our workplace goals?
Each individual should set their goals as they would complete their sets using dumbbells. Clear, concise and methodically. Ensuring progress is made each and every time.
Exercising
Going to the gym or a long walk after work releases many endorphins which gives a sense of well being and reduces stress hormones which can negatively dominate the human body. It helps to clear your mind and allows you to keep focused.
When working you should aim to make lists and set goals to achieve by the end of the day and review before you leave to assess what has been accomplished and what needs to be rescheduled. This, in turn, will also increase productivity and work ethic throughout the day.
Taking breaks
Like with exercise, breaks should be taken at regular intervals throughout the working day to ensure maximum performance is maintained. Short breaks every 60-90 minutes help to refocus energy and prepare the mind ready for the next task.
The lunch hour should be taken to clear the individuals mind such as going for a short walk, listening to music or simply just having a bite to eat away from your usual work environment.
A good night’s sleep
A good night’s sleep should be taken the night before to focus on the goals. Ensuring you rejuvenate yourself will increase the productivity and motivation for the following day ahead. Experts recommend eight hours of sleep.
What to do if you can’t sleep at night?
If you have thoughts wandering around your head every night and this is allowing you to become sleep deprived.
You should keep a notebook by your bed, to jot the thoughts down to think about the next day and overcome them. Your brain needs to have enough time to wind down and relax.
Eating Breakfast
Ensuring you eat breakfast every morning such as porridge or toast can be a great start to the morning. Slow releasing energy will ensure you do not snack in the morning. Without taking this approach you will feel tired, distracted, demotivated and agitated.
Tips for the workplace
Creative work
All creative works should be done first thing, to ensure the mind is fresh and full of productivity. Then later on tick off the tedious tasks such as emailing, deleting files and organising your desk.
‘’A tidy desk is a tidy mind.’’ – Never leave your desk a mess. Always tidy it before leaving for the day.
If you get stuck, move on to the next job.
Don’t stay on one job if you’re struggling! If you are finding it difficult to resolve a task from your list, move on to the next task and once that has been done in a methodical way, have the time to plan the previous task which you found difficult. Ask your peers for help along the way, do not be afraid to ask.
Multitasking
We all think we can multitask in the workplace such as reading emails, answering query calls and eating our lunch at the same time.
In fact, this is wrong… our brains cannot function from multitasking and we physically, mentally cannot do this. In most cases, we are distracting ourselves from the most important tasks throughout the day. Take a slow but accurate approach to each task if you are not confident.
What to do when hunger strikes?
When it comes to performance, you need to find more nutritional foods, especially if you are working at a desk all day. Nutrition is extremely critical for cognition and focusing throughout the day.
Our brain cells require twice as much energy as the rest of the cells in our body. To allow peak performance in work, your brain needs sustainable energy to perform well.
Stock your lunch with healthy snacks such as healthy fats, macro-nutrients, protein and fibre. This will allow a higher, quality performance to maintain each day.
Finally… Recognise what distracts you.
What do you think distracts you? Kills your flow? Could you improve? Yes, you can!
If you are starting to feel unproductive and not tackling the workload as easily as you would like, keep a notebook and write down what distracts you or kills your flow. You will start to understand where you need to implement changes.
If you become bored or distracted throughout the working day, refocus and try even harder, continuously putting the effort in each day. No pain, No gain.